Softball Comes Up Short at No. 5 Washington

SEATTLE – The Utah Softball team faced one of the nation's toughest pitchers Friday at Husky Softball Stadium and struggled to make good contact throughout the game, as No. 5 Washington defeated the Utes 8-0 in a six-inning run-rule decision. All-American Gabbie Plain recorded her sixth career no-hitter, as the Huskies scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to end the game, preventing Utah from taking its last at-bat in the seventh inning.
 
The Huskies jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the first inning and three more in the second before the Utah pitching corps settled in and held UW scoreless over the third-through-fifth innings. Mary Beth Feldman replaced starter Sydney Sandez with one out in the second and UW leading 4-0. Halle Morris replaced Feldman with one out and one on in the fourth inning, with the Huskies leading 5-0, and induced a grounder back to the circle to start a double play to end the inning.
 
Morris pitched well throughout those middle innings, holding Washington to no hits over the end of the fourth inning and through the fifth before the Huskies broke through again in the sixth for the three runs to end the game.
 
ON DECK
The Utes and No. 5 Huskies will square off Saturday in a doubleheader at Husky Softball Stadium, set to begin at 2 p.m. MT (1 PT).